Weapon Used in the Attempted Assassination on Pope John Paul II
Karol Wojtyła was a relatively young 58 years old when he was elected to the papacy. He was proving to be a different kind of Pope. He was the most traveled pope in history. This was also partly because he had a long reign as pope. However, the fact that he visited so many countries attested to his goal of reaching out to the rest of the world instead of merely sitting in Rome. Because of this, he was well loved by the people, even non-Catholics respect him and what he stands for. He was said to have played a role in the ousting of dictatorships. Personally, I doubt the pope would have actually encouraged people to turn against the dictators but somehow political fortunes where changed after his visits in countries like Poland, Chile, Haiti and the Philippines.
Some Blood of Pope John Paul II on a Jacket
It would come as a surprise why any one would want to kill a person who represents peace. I realize that some people will not agree with his teachings, but kill? Pope John Paul II was the target of a few assassination attempts. Perhaps none more serious than the one in 1981 right at his doorstep in the Vatican City. He was shot by an assailant and almost lost his life. Upon recovery, he met with his assailant and famously forgave him. The family home of Pope John Paul II has an exhibit on these events. A jacket which was sprayed with the pope’s blood as well as the actual weapon and bullet. It was almost surreal for me to see these items since it boggles the mind to want to destroy this person. Pope John Paul II would survive the attack and live on 24 more years.
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